Advocacy on the federal government’s pharmacare program will continue to be a core focus for the Benefits Alliance in 2025, says Carolyne Eagan, the association’s president. As each province is determining how or whether they’ll accept the government-sponsored program, she says the association plans to continue its grassroots campaign to engage with Canadian plan sponsors […]
Private drug plans play a pivotal role in ensuring faster and broader access to medications for 27 million Canadians, said Joe Farago, executive director of private payers and investment at Innovative Medicines Canada, during Benefits Canada’s 2024 Face to Face Drug Plan Management Forum. The federal government’s new pharmacare plan is designed as a universal, […]
The previous year was an interesting one in the world of employee benefits plans. Over the previous 12 months, employers have navigated the explosion of claims for glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist medications like Ozempic, some forward momentum on national pharmacare and some employers changed their approach to diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Here are five […]
In 2025, the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association hopes to see continued support for virtual health care and innovation, says Stephen Frank, the association’s president and chief executive officer. According to the CLHIA, at least 10 million Canadians are covered for virtual care through their employer plan and roughly half a million visit their […]
An article on how a national drug pooling program would impact employer-sponsored benefits plans was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. How would a national drug pooling program impact employer-sponsored benefits plans? 2. Leadership changes at the AIMCo […]
In light of the federal government developing a national pharmacare program, it’s important it considers the implementation of a national drug pooling program for private payers, says one expert. “If the government is going to invest in a universal drug program, it needs to have two main objectives,” said Edward Sabat, partner at The Consulting […]
Innovative Medicines Canada is calling on the federal government to introduce amendments to Bill C-64 that clarify the impact on all aspects of Canadians’ drug coverage. In a press release, the association urged the feds to ensure its new pharmacare program doesn’t disrupt existing coverage for the 27 million Canadians who are insured under a […]
An article on how ‘carewashing’ can negatively impact employers’ well-being strategies was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. How employers can avoid ‘carewashing’ their employee well-being strategy 2. Senate passes pharmacare legislation without amendments 3. Investment funds targeting domestic assets […]
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is calling on provinces and territories to start negotiating pharmacare deals as soon as possible, now that the federal legislation to enact the program has become law. “This is real progress, but now we need the provinces and territories to come to the table and sign agreements with us that supports […]
An article on how national dental-care and pharmacare programs will impact unionized employees was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. How national dental-care, pharmacare programs will impact unionized employees 2. Survey finds 56% of Canadian workers reporting reduced productivity […]